Sports

MOSES LAKE — Very little has been able to slow down the Moses Lake Pirates this summer — the Kelowna Falcons can testify to that fact.

The Pirates improved their West Coast Collegiate Baseball League mark to 11-3, taking the first two games of a three-game weekend set with the Falcons at Larson Field. Moses Lake's winning streak reached five on Saturday and its East Division lead over Spokane was 4 1/2 games.

Saturday, the Pirates got another tremendous performance from starting pitcher Dale Reneau in a 4-2 victory. Reneau allowed five hits and one earned run in seven innings, striking out 12 and walking one to improve his record to 2-0.

Second baseman Zach Kim went 3 for 5, scoring a run and knocking in another to lead Moses Lake's offense. Through Saturday's games, Kim leads the WCCBL with a .400 batting average, seven points ahead of Kitsap's Joey Lind.

Moses Lake first baseman Michael Ratigan was 3 for 4 with a run scored and RBI, while shortstop Zach Hedges finished 2 for 3.

Moses Lake jumped on top 1-0 in the second inning, as Steve Tinoco walked with one out and came all the way around on Ratigan's double.

The Pirates made it 3-0 in the fourth when Tinoco and Ratigan opened the inning with singles. Tinoco scored an unearned run off an error, and Kim plated Ratigan with a single.

Moses Lake got its final run in the eighth on Kevin Coddington's RBI single.

In Friday's series opener, the Pirates brutalized Kelowna starter James Paxton, knocking him out after just 2 1/3 innings. Paxton allowed six runs, four earned, with seven hits during his short outing.

After the Falcons scored once in the first against Ben Guidos, Moses Lake retaliated in its half with two unearned runs. Kim reached on an error and eventually stole home to tie the score. Mike Capbarat's groundout brought in Hedges for run No. 2.

Moses Lake scored three times in the second as one-out singles from Ryan Bernsen, TJ Bernardy and Billy Swanson loaded the bases. A wild pitch scored Bernsen, Bernardy came in Kim's groundout, and an RBI double from Hedges plated Swanson.

The hosts stretched the lead to 6-1 in the third, stringing together singles from Jesse Ayala, Tinoco and Bernardy.

Moses Lake finished its offensive onslaught in the fifth off Falcon reliever Noel Avison. Ayala reached on an error and scored on a wild pitch. Tinoco, who doubled, came in on another wild pitch.

The PIrates had 13 hits in the game off Kelowna pitching. Hedges was 3 for 5, while Tinoco and Bernardy each went 2 for 4.

Guidos got the win for Moses Lake, tossing five innings with six hits, two walks and seven strikeouts. A solid bullpen outing from Ben Graham, Cam Gill and Vinny Losorelli made the lead stand up.

Moses Lake begins a six-game road trip through Oregon on Tuesday, playing three at Corvallis and three more at Bend. Tuesday's contest against the Knights begins at 7:35 p.m. No starters have been announced.Pirates wrap up second consecutive series sweep

By Neil Pierson

Herald sports reporter

MOSES LAKE — Very little has been able to slow down the Moses Lake Pirates this summer — the Kelowna Falcons can testify to that fact.

The Pirates improved their West Coast Collegiate Baseball League mark to 11-3, taking the first two games of a three-game weekend set with the Falcons at Larson Field. Moses Lake's winning streak reached five on Saturday and its East Division lead over Spokane was 4 1/2 games.

Saturday, the Pirates got another tremendous performance from starting pitcher Dale Reneau in a 4-2 victory. Reneau allowed five hits and one earned run in seven innings, striking out 12 and walking one to improve his record to 2-0.

Second baseman Zach Kim went 3 for 5, scoring a run and knocking in another to lead Moses Lake's offense. Through Saturday's games, Kim leads the WCCBL with a .400 batting average, seven points ahead of Kitsap's Joey Lind.

Moses Lake first baseman Michael Ratigan was 3 for 4 with a run scored and RBI, while shortstop Zach Hedges finished 2 for 3.

Moses Lake jumped on top 1-0 in the second inning, as Steve Tinoco walked with one out and came all the way around on Ratigan's double.

The Pirates made it 3-0 in the fourth when Tinoco and Ratigan opened the inning with singles. Tinoco scored an unearned run off an error, and Kim plated Ratigan with a single.

Moses Lake got its final run in the eighth on Kevin Coddington's RBI single.

In Friday's series opener, the Pirates brutalized Kelowna starter James Paxton, knocking him out after just 2 1/3 innings. Paxton allowed six runs, four earned, with seven hits during his short outing.

After the Falcons scored once in the first against Ben Guidos, Moses Lake retaliated in its half with two unearned runs. Kim reached on an error and eventually stole home to tie the score. Mike Capbarat's groundout brought in Hedges for run No. 2.

Moses Lake scored three times in the second as one-out singles from Ryan Bernsen, TJ Bernardy and Billy Swanson loaded the bases. A wild pitch scored Bernsen, Bernardy came in Kim's groundout, and an RBI double from Hedges plated Swanson.

The hosts stretched the lead to 6-1 in the third, stringing together singles from Jesse Ayala, Tinoco and Bernardy.

Moses Lake finished its offensive onslaught in the fifth off Falcon reliever Noel Avison. Ayala reached on an error and scored on a wild pitch. Tinoco, who doubled, came in on another wild pitch.

The PIrates had 13 hits in the game off Kelowna pitching. Hedges was 3 for 5, while Tinoco and Bernardy each went 2 for 4.

Guidos got the win for Moses Lake, tossing five innings with six hits, two walks and seven strikeouts. A solid bullpen outing from Ben Graham, Cam Gill and Vinny Losorelli made the lead stand up.

Moses Lake begins a six-game road trip through Oregon on Tuesday, playing three at Corvallis and three more at Bend. Tuesday's contest against the Knights begins at 7:35 p.m. No starters have been announced.